Master's Thesis

Development and Evaluation of a Peer Feedback Tool for Communication Skills Courses in Engineering

Basanta Poudel2025

Key information

Authors:

Basanta Poudel (Basanta Poudel)

Supervisors:

Cláudia Cristina da Silva (Cláudia Silva); Augusto Emanuel Abreu Esteves (Augusto Esteves)

Published in

05/30/2025

Abstract

The current literature and the business domain have persistently highlighted the need for software engineers to communicate effectively for personal and career development as they graduate and move to the job market. This global demand for communication skills among software engineers has prompted computer science universities to include communication courses in their curricula. However, there are various difficulties in making this attempt successfully fill the gap, such as perceptions of the students and engineering schools themselves, the growing number of students in the classroom, and resistance to change in the use of modern methods and technologies. This dissertation intends to address these issues by developing a novel mobile app prototype called FeedbackFlow. This app aims to 1) facilitate providing immediate in-class feedback for Computer Science and Engineering students’ communication skills activities and 2) foster a peer feedback culture. This research aimed to understand the techniques employed in Peer Assessment, the advantages of using digital Peer Assessment tools in the classroom, the main challenges of implementing such tools, the most important features appropriate in the new tool, and gauge the effects on learning outcomes when using this tool. The evaluation phase of this research, through a mixed-method approach, yielded three main findings: First, peer feedback may improve classroom attention and engagement. Second, if well-trained and informed about the tool and the course’s peer feedback process, students appreciate peer feedback and can provide good feedback like teachers. Lastly, giving peer feedback can provide opportunities for self-learning and assessment.

Publication details

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Fields of Science and Technology (FOS)

electrical-engineering-electronic-engineering-information-engineering - Electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering

Publication language (ISO code)

eng - English

Rights type:

Embargoed access

Date available:

03/29/2026

Institution name

Instituto Superior Técnico